Empire Rise
by AM Wake
Summary: The Authority was back to their old ways, rewarding their favorites with championships. But AJ was tired of it. She broke her silence and made the world awake of their true selves. When she does this, others stand up with her, and they take the WWE by storm. But AJ won't be their leader for long. In fact, she wouldn't be a wrestler for long.
1. Pain and Pipebombs

"Give me the title, AJ. Now."

But AJ didn't budge. She dropped the title behind her and stepped towards Stephanie, to the point where they were only an inch apart.

Stephanie took a step back and AJ raised her mic. "Scared, Stephanie?"

Stephanie was staring at the scene going on behind AJ. Paige, who had been knocked out by Nikki Bella when she had been jumped. Medics had been tending to Paige and were taking her out on a stretcher.

One of the medics had a mic of his own. "Excuse me." He said, climbing into the ring.

"I don't know if any of you knew this, but Paige isn't cleared to compete. Last week she was having pain in her neck and didn't tell anyone. We felt her neck a few seconds ago and you can clearly feel a broken collarbone. She will not be able to compete at Night of Champions."

He handed the divas title belt to Stephanie and left the ring.

"I guess this means we have to vacate the title. Tell you what, AJ, you will face Nikki at NOC for the title."

"Nope. I won't do it. I have no respect for AJ and I will not face her. Why don't you just give me the title?" Nikki said.

AJ smirked. "How about this Stephanie? I face you at NoC and if I win, I'm the champion. If you win, Nikki is the champion."

"That's actually a good idea. It's settled. I'll see you at NoC."

Stephanie and Nikki had started to leave when AJ spoke again.

"The match is settled. But I'm not."

Stephanie and Nikki turned around and the crowd knew what was coming. And as they did on June 27, 2011, they silenced themselves.

"When I said those things last year, the rest of you guys forgot about it. Yeah, it was offending, yeah, I made things personal, and yeah, I pissed you off. But they forgave me. But you, Nikki, will not let it go. Brie, let it go. Natalya, let it go. Hell, even Tyson Kidd made a joke of it. You say you have no respect for me. What I want to know is, how you respect Stephanie? She and her husband made a joke a out of your brother-in-law Daniel Bryan. She pushed around Big Show, she made fun of his growth problem, she made fun of the fact that in real life, he could barely afford to keep his house. You're on that fake reality show, why don't I actually give you a piece of reality. Siblings fight, but you don't tell them that you wish that they had died before birth. Sure, I stopped talking to my sister for a few weeks, but that's only because she was going through a divorce and didn't want to talk to anyone. My brother is a whole different story. But Nikki, you turned on your own flesh and blood and attacked her. But the worst part is that she is your twin. You two grew up together and were inseparable. She only quit to save Daniel Bryan, who was earning the WWE a crap load of money. She was doing the WWE a favor. I don't think she wanted to abandon you. Brie is a fantastic wrestler. But I don't think that you, Nikki, are still with WWE because you are a good wrestler. I think they are just using you and giving you to the title to make John Cena happy so he will stay with WWE longer.

But as for my brother. When I was in FCW, I wasn't able to talk to my brother or even see him. But I respect the hell outta him. You see, I couldn't talk to him because he was a proud member of the U.S Army, fighting for our country in Afghanistan. After match when I came to main roster, I was told my brother had called me. It turns out he week before he had been shot and was now in New Jersey. He was given his Purple Heart and discharged. I didn't hear a word from any higher ups except for Vince. You say you guys support military member and there families, past and present. But frankly, I don't think you give a damn about the families. After that I lost all respect I had for Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.

In all seriousness, if Stephanie McMahon and Triple H find even r smallest flaw in one of their wrestlers outside of the ring, they make it a joke and bring into the public eye. And frankly, I'm tired of it. You support Nikki Bella turning against her twin and that made Brie Bella a joke. You were constantly giving Randy Orton the main event of every pay per view, and that made CM Punk work so hard to get back into the main event scene, that he could barely walk and that drove him so far he walked out." AJ slightly smirked as she said her husbands name. "You made Cody Rhodes put his job on the line. You made him fight to stay on the company. You made Vickie Guerrero leave. Big Show is barely wrestling anymore. Because of what you made him do, Daniel Bryan is injured and probably won't be wrestling until next year.

But what you don't understand about pushed around wrestlers, is this. When someone is pushed around, the rest of us who also get pushed down, get pissed. But now, there is going to be a change.

When one of us is pushed down, we will all stand up."

She dropped the mic to the ground and the stunned arena remained hushed. AJ left he ring and walked up the ramp and stood on the stage. The crowd finally staying silent and they cheered out, all at once, if on cue:

"PIPEBOMB!" After saying this, they cheered as loud as possible as AJ walked to the back.

She first walked back and saw multiple cameras in her face. She pushed them aside and started walked to her locker room. She got there and sat down on the couch and thought when someone knocked on her door.

"Come in!"

Cody Rhodes, Brie Bella, and Big Show walked in, closing the door behind them.

"That was amazing." Big Show said.

"Thanks, Don." AJ said, calling him by his middle name.

"I didn't know you had it in you." Cody said.

"You don't know a lot of shit about me."

AJ stood up and grabbed her already packed bag. "I'll call you guys later with an idea I have for next week."

AJ left the room and walked towards the exit of the arena. She found it quickly and got on her bus.

"Back so soon?" Punk asked. He emerged from the bedroom.

She dropped her bags and hugged him.

"By the way, nice pipebomb." He said, kissing the top of her head.

He moved his hands up and down her back. He moved his right hand over her shoulder blade at the same time he moved his left over the center of her back and she shook.

"What wrong?"

He toughed her shoulder blade and she winced. He did the same to her back and she winced again.

She buried her face in her hands.

She sat down and he kneeled in front of her.

"I know what this is." He said jokingly. He got up and sat on the couch. He pulled her back and kissed her neck. She didn't kiss him back and stood up. She walked into the bedroom and laid down under the covers on her stomach.

Punk walked in turned off the lights. He removed his shirt and pants and climbed under the covers in his boxers. He turned on his side and faced her. She crawled over to him and buried her face in his chest, nuzzling her head under his chin, and felt him rest his head on top of hers. He stared into the darkness and thought of one thing.

Was she going through was he did right before he walked out?


	2. Empire Rise

AJ woke up the next morning and found Punk on her phone.

"Why are you on my phone?"

"Brie texted you and asked how you were doing. What's up with you lately?"

AJ rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling.

"During mine and Paige's match at Summerslam, like she always does, she botched a moved and kneed me in the back. I felt pain in my shoulder blade and middle of my back. I've had problems since."

Punk looked down and put her phone on the bedside table.

"Last night was horrible. I could barely walk without stumbling."

She picked up her phone and stood up and slowly walked to the front of the bus.

She texted Brie. "Operation Rise & Revolution begins Monday. Meet me in my locker room at 7:30 PM Monday night. I'm sending this to Vickie. Text this to Bryan, Don, and Cody. We have to make sure all of us are there."

A few seconds later she received a reply. "Got it. See ya Monday."

"Hey, Phil, can you come out here?" She called out.

He came out and sat down.

"Monday Night is when we take over. It's gonna be me, Brie, Don, Cody, Vickie, and Bryan."

"You got Vickie?"

"Yeah. Texted her before I left the arena."

"I got a question. Horrible booking is one of the reasons I left in the first place. If you guys are gonna go through with this, I want in."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's time for a change."

She leaned over and hugged him.

-Monday Night-

AJ sat in her locker room with Punk when the door opened. Brie, Bryan, Don, Cody, and Vickie came in.

"Tonight Stephanie will probably give me a handicap match. I'll probably lose. During the main event, which is Randy vs John, HHH and Stephanie will be at ringside. About half way through the match, the lights will go off. They will come back on NAND no one should be moving. We will come out in order of cheer. Cody, you'll be out first. Stand on the stage and Don will come out. When Don is next to Cody, Vickie will come out. When Vickie is next to Don, Brie and Bryan will be out next. When they are standing with the rest of you, me and Punk will come out. Cody, Don, and Punk, you'll be in black and blue ring gear. Me and Brie will be in our ring gear, black bottoms, blue tops. Bryan, you'll be in a suit, and Vickie, you'll be in your usual business attire. Got it?"

"Yup."

"Good."

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in!" AJ called.

A production manger walked in. "AJ, you're up first in five minutes."

"Oh, ok." The man left and AJ looked to the table where AJ and Brie's black and blue ring gear was. She ran over and grabbed hers and walked into the bathroom and put it on. She came out and laced up her Chuck Taylor's.

"See y'all later." She said, racing towards gorilla. She got there right as Stephanie called her out. Her music played and she came out. She wasn't skipping as she walked to the ring.

"AJ, because of your actions last week, your match right now will be you against Rosa Mendes. And Summer Rae. And Layla. And Cameron."

All four divas emerged and walked to the ring. Stephanie climbed out as the bell rang. The match lasted about five minutes before they pinned AJ. AJ stumbled to the back.

Later that night, Randy and John were having a good match. HHH and Stephanie were at ringside like usual. The lights went out. As they came back on, Randy and John did not move.

Rise by Skillet blared through the arena.

'Sound it off, this is the call!

Rise in revolution!

It's our time to change it all,

Rise in revolution!

Unite and fight, to make a better life!

Everybody one for all,

Sound off, this is the call, tonight we rise!'

Cody walked out in his new gear mic in hand. He stood on the stage when Big Show came out in his gear with a mic. He stood with Cody as Vicke came out in her suit with a mic to loud cheers. The cheers were very loud as Brie walked out, Bryan on her heels. The cheers were incredibly loud as AJ came out, hand-in-hand, with Punk, each with a mic. HHH and Stephanie stood up and yelled. John rolled up a stunned Randy for the win. As he stood up, he looked at the stage. Randy stood up and didn't fight, just stare at the group. HHH and Stephanie jumped into the ring. They and Randy yelled loudly and John just stood there.

AJ, Punk, Bryan, Brie, Vickie, Don, and Cody raised their mics and said the same thing in unison right before Raw went off the air.

"This, is Empire Rise."


	3. Bombing the Boss

As the group walked back stage, they were met by several interviews, all of which they turned down.

Before they could get back to the locker room, someone called out for them.

"You guys get back here!" HHH and Stephanie ran up.

"What the hell was that?"

"That, was the beginning of a new era. I left this company in the first place because of you guys just handing opportunities to your favorites. But I'm with these guys now. So back off. You can't fire us. You'll lose ratings." Punk said. He turned around and led the group to the locker room.

The next Monday-

'Rise' by Skillet played. The group came out at once this time. Stephanie, HHH, Nikki, and the rest of the authority stood in the ring.

"So this is your so called Empire?" Seth asked. "You're lead by a five foot tall brat who's made a trip around the locker room. Twice."

"Hey!" Punk yelled. "Don't talk to my wife like that!"

He stepped towards Seth but HHH pulled Seth back.

"Just so you know, we still have two guys who has yet to reveal themselves to be with us. Bu, we have a departure tonight. My contract is up and I'm not resigning. So this is my goodbye." Cody said. With that he climbed out of the ring and up the ramp and backstage.

"If you have two more guys, where are they?" Seth asked.

Don picked up the mic. "Oh, they're behind you."

Two guys in hoodies pushed Seth and Randy down.

The two men ran and joined ER.

"Take off your hoodies, boys." AJ said.

They took off the hoodies.

"Meet Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns."

Vickie spoke for the group into the mic for the first time.

"On my count. 3. 2. 1." She stood back as ER charged forward.

Brie Bella-Bombed Nikki. Roman Superman Punch Randy. Dean kicked Seth and pulled Dirty Deeds on him. Big Show KO punched Kane.

The group surrounded HHH and Stephanie. AJ and Brie grabbed Stephanie and knocked her out, throwing her out of the ring.

"Let him Fall!" Vickie shouted.

The guys grabbed HHH and held him to the canvas.

"Knock him out!"

Big Show KO punched him.

"RISE!" She yelled.

Big Show grabbed HHH and put him into a powerbomb position. AJ grabbed his right arm and tucked it under him and held it there as Brie did the same with his left. Roman put his hands around his neck so he could be thrown down harder. Punk put his hands on HHH's left abdomen as Dean did the same with his right.

"DEMISE!" Everyone yelled at once. Then they power bombed him. In fact, they brought him down with so much force, he went through the canvas, burying him under the ring. Stephanie, who had just woken up, crawled into the ring in horror.

Rise played as the group stood tall in the ring.

Later that night-

Everyone was traveling on the bus. Sitting on the couch and the floor, they watched themselves bury HHH and him being taken to the hospital.

"That was awesome." Show said.

"He landed on a ladder under the ring. I wonder if he's actually hurt." Roman said.

"Why should we give a shit?" Punk asked, secretly holding an ice pack to AJ's back. AJ had been silent all night.

"I don't know." Roman said.

"I'm going to bed though." Dean said finally going to his top bunk.

"I think we will to." Brie said as Bryan stood up. They climbed into their bunk under Dean.

Soon everyone had stood up. Roman got into his top bunk across from Dean. Being safe, Don took a bottom bunk below Roman. Vickie climbed into her bunk across from Don.

AJ and Punk sat in the bedroom, discussing her back.

"I really don't want to talk about, Phil." She said hastily, laying down, and falling into a deep sleep.

They would not be working Smackdown or any live events, so they planned to enjoy the off week. But Punk wasn't go to leave AJ's back alone. Just like Empire Rise wasn't leaving the Authority alone until there was a change.


	4. Buried

It was the Raw before NoC.

The first person out was Stephanie. She was alone, without HHH. She was obviously distraught. As she got the the ring, she pulled up her mic.

"I need the Empire out here. Now."

Rise played but they did not come from the ramp. The had been hiding under the ring so that's where they came from.

"Where's Hunter? Is he okay?" Don joked into his mic.

"He's in the hospital because of what you guys did last week. He has four broken ribs and a concussion."

"I thought we did better than that. But, there's always room for improvement." Don said, scratching his head.

Stephanie smirked.

"You guys should visit him. Perhaps right now?" She said, smiling.

Unfortunately for Stephanie, ER new what was happening and turned around. The Authority was standing there, ready to strike.

So they did. Nikki jumped Brie but AJ pulled her off and they threw Nikki out of the ring and into the barricade. Kane kicked Don in the knee, only to be met with a fist to the face. Seth and Randy's attacks both failed and they were knocked out. Stephanie backed out of the ring as the group picked up Kane. They did the Demise powerbomb and he fell through the canvas. They ran to ringside and AJ punched Nikki to make sure she was out. They picked up and tucked her next to Kane under the canvas. They did the same to Seth and Randy. Then they grabbed a table and put in on top of the authority. But then. They ran over to where Stephanie was. Don uncovered the announce table as Brie and AJ dragged a screaming Stephanie towards him.

Don picked her up and AJ and Brie tucked her arms so she couldn't fight. Punk, Dean, and Roman got in position. Vickie yelled and they out her through the table. Don picked in her up and put her in the hole in the middle of the ring. Punk put a folded table top down over the hole. Roman and Dean put ladders over the hole until it seemed impossible for the Authority to escape.

As the medics rushed out one by one, Empire Rise ran backstage and immediately packed their bags, racing to the bus.

"Stephanie's going down next week." Roman said.


	5. A Shooting In Chicago

AJ was laying on the ring canvas with ER standing around her. They knelt down and picked her up, having her sit on Roman and Dean's shoulder. Don stepped in front of her and placed her freshly won Divas title in her hands.

The Next Nights Raw in Chicago-

Seth hadn't walked into the building yet, but he thought he was being followed. He turned and saw someone dart behind a car. He saw blonde hair. He shook his head and kept walking. He stopped and turned again and thought he saw a man with black hair dart behind a car.

-Later on Raw-

Empire Rise stood in the ring, all with mics, AJ closest the ramp. Suddenly, Seth Rollins music played. He came on the ramp, but he looked a little bit taller and his hair color looked like it had just been redone.

"If anyone in this arena leaves there, seat, they get hurt."

Suddenly Titus O'Neil walked out, his hands up, and a mic propped against his shoulder.

"Listen to what he says!"

"Why?" AJ asked.

"Shut up!" Seth screamed. Then he did the unthinkable. He reached into his vest and pulled out a loaded 44. In a heartbeat, he fired a shot.

The blood was flowing from AJ's abdomen at a slow rate. He must of hit something. Seth ran out the exit and into the night.

Titus raised his mic with his now down hands.

"I was trying to say he had a gun. That wasn't Seth. His name is Oscar Walters." Titus ran off after Oscar.

A stretcher rushed out and she was immediately taken to the hospital.

Across from the hospital was the police station. The road had been blocked off because of riots. Over 1000 people marched around the street with signs saying 'LET HER LIVE, LET HIM DIE!'. Oscar had not yet been located.

Suddenly, the doors the hospital burst wide open and two police officers fought Punk until he was restrained. He had caused unrest when he was told AJ was in surgery.

A fire truck arrived and two police men climbed to the top with bull horns.

"FOR ANYONE THIS IS RIOTING, IF YOU CONTINUE THIS RIOT, YOU WILL BE ARRESTED." Soon the area was calm.

The next morning, a small stage had been set up in the middle of the road. The media stood in front of the stage. A tan 6'8 man in a black suit, short black hair, and stubble on his face, stepped on to the stage and walked to the mic.

"Everyone please be silenced." He said. "My name is Dakoda [not Dakota. Dakoda is pronounced Da-Co-Da.] Davidson. One of my triplet brothers, Damien, is the doctor watching over April Jeanette Mendez-Brooks. My other triplet brother, Dario, is the detective working the case. April was shot last night at 10:47 pm in the Allstate Arena. I am going to ask Damien and Dario to come up here and give us an update on the case."

The crowd clapped as two men, both tan, 6'8, short black hair, and stubble on their faces walked towards Dakoda. The first in a white coat over a suit and dress shoes, stepped in front of the mic next to his triplets.

"My name is Dr. Damien Davidson. As of ten minutes ago, Mrs. Mendez-Brooks is still in critical condition but at this point it is almost impossible to tell if she will make it or not."

Damien stepped aside and Dario is took his spot.

"My name is Detective Dario Davidson. The gunman has been identified as Oscar Walters. He works as a doctor at a CVS health department down the street. His location is not known but his family is with us today."

A man yelled something.

"What was that?" Dario yelled.

The man pushed his way through the crowd. He had messy blonde hair. He was carrying a large black duffel bag.

"I said, I know where Oscar is."

"Well, where is he?"

He put the bag on the ground. "Oscar is right here. He's dead. I killed him."

The man unzipped the bag. There lay a man with a needle in his arm.

"Mr. Walters, is this your son?" Dario asked, pulling Oscars father towards the body.

"No, it's not. Oscar has a scar under his eye, on his hand, and on his shoulder. He also had short brown hair. Last night he was wearing a wig."

"What?!" The blonde man yelled. Two police officers walked over and arrested the yelling man.

Dario turned and saw a women crying on the ground.

"Ma'am, what happened?" Dario asked, rushing to her side.

"T-T-Thats my husband Chris!" She cried.

One of the shirtless men in the crowd came to her side.

Mr. Walters yelled. "That's him! That's Oscar! Get him!" He pointed at the man with the man next to women. He had all the scars and brown hair.

Oscar took off. The police and a few of the men in the crowd took off after him. Finally, they had run maybe fifty feet when two men tackled him.

These two men, just happened to be Punk's best friends, Colt Cabana and Cliff Compton. The police put cuffs on him and lead him into the station.

The crowd clapped as Damien emerged from the Hospital. He ran up on the stage and grabbed the mic.

"April is awake! But we still do not know if she will make it or not."

-Next weeks Raw in Detroit-

Empire Rise stood in the ring. But AJ was not there. Punk had barely said anything to the Authority that stood across from them. Seth was afraid to speak.

Seth stepped aside and pulled out his phone. He pulled HHH, who was talking, to the corner and showed him his phone. HHH took the phone and showed it to the rest of the Authority.

"What the hell is this?!" Stephanie yelled. "This is the text Seth just got. 'We, Empire Rise, will see you, The Authority, at Survivor Series. ALL OF US will.'."

Punk grabbed the phone.

"This. This is AJ's number."


End file.
